The use of aerostabilizers, more commonly called spoilers, wings, or tails, as stabilizers for vehicles has been around for many years. The idea of the aerostabilizer is to apply a downward force, generally to the rear of the vehicle, to improve stability and control. This appears to have originated from units originally applied to racing cars.
Aerostabilizers are now popular on cars and trucks, even boats in rare instances, used for everyday use. Some of the race car designs have adjustable aerostabilizers that can be adjusted from the driver""s position while underway. This makes for more precise control and stability at all speeds. Some race cars have aerostabilizers that are not only adjustable but also tilt upward to a very high angle when the brakes are applied. The idea was to increase aerodynamic drag of the aerostabilizer and thereby help in braking of the vehicle. The power to run such braking units is in the form of hydraulic or pneumatic actuators due to the large forces required when the brakes are applied at high speeds.
The use of such force actuators is rather complicated and expensive. While such complication and expense can be tolerated in high cost race vehicles, it is generally prohibitive for vehicles used for everyday driving.
The instant invention presents a very low cost and simple air braking aerostabilizer. This is accomplished by use of the momentum forces that occur when the vehicle is slowed down. It is a feature of this invention that the aerostabilizer(s) be balanced about a pivot so that the forces to operate the aerostabilizer are minimized. This will be understood upon review of the following sections.
A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved first aerostabilizer for vehicles that is capable of changing to a more vertical position when the vehicle is decelerated to thereby add an aerodynamic braking force that aids in stopping the vehicle.
A directly related object of the invention is that a weight, a more descriptive term for this weight might be a momentum force generating weight, is in communication with the first aerostabilizer wherein said weight is free to move at a different rate than the first aerostabilizer when the vehicle is decelerated. A more descriptive term for this weight might be a momentum force generating weight. In any case, such movement of said weight, by means of its communication with the first aerostabilizer, places a biasing force on said first aerostabilizer thereby allowing said first aerostabilizer to rotate about a pivot resulting in a raising of one end of the first aerostabilizer higher than another end of said first aerostabilizer.
It is a related object of the invention that the term pivot may apply to a pivot that changes location by design when the aerostabilizer is changing its orientation.
Another important object of the invention is that the pivot be disposed proximal an average fore to aft mid-point of the first aerostabilizer.
An optional object of the invention is that it may include a second aerostabilizer in communication with the first aerostabilizer and wherein said second aerostabilizer moves with the first aerostabilizer.
It is a directly related object of the invention that movement of the second aerostabilizer may be in concert with the first aerostabilizer or may not be in concert as may be accomplished by using connecting levers, gears, or the like between the first and the second aerostabilizers.
A directly related object of the invention is that the pivot can be disposed within fifteen percent of a midpoint of an average fore to aft length of the first aerostabilizer.
A further related object of the invention is that the pivot can be disposed within twenty-five percent of a midpoint of an average fore to aft length of the first aerostabilizer.
Yet another related object of the invention is that the pivot be disposed within thirty-five percent of a midpoint of an average fore to aft length of the first aerostabilizer.
Another optional object of the invention is that it may further include a second aerostabilizer that is, at least partially, independent of movement of the first aerostabilizer.
A directly related object of the invention is that the pivot be disposed within fifteen percent of a midpoint of an algebraic sum of fore to aft lengths and spacings of the first and second aerostabilizers.
A further related object of the invention is that the pivot be disposed within twenty-five percent of a midpoint of an algebraic sum of fore to aft lengths and spacings of the first and second aerostabilizers.
Yet a further object of the invention is that the pivot be disposed within thirty-five percent of a midpoint of an algebraic sum of the fore to aft lengths and spacings of the first and second aerostabilizers.
Another object of the invention is that it may further comprise one or more additional aerostabilizers in communication with the first aerostabilizer and that move when the first aerostabilizer moves.
A related object of the invention is that the pivot be disposed within fifteen percent of a midpoint of an algebraic sum of the fore to aft lengths and spacings of the aerostabilizers.
Another related object of the invention is that the pivot be disposed within twenty-five percent of a midpoint of an algebraic sum of the fore to aft lengths and spacings of the aerostabilizers.
Yet another object of the invention is that pivot be disposed within thirty-five percent of a midpoint of an algebraic sum of the fore to aft lengths and spacings of the aerostabilizers.
Another optional object of the invention is that it may further include a second aerostabilizer that is, at least partially, independent of movement of the first aerostabilizer.
Yet another object of the invention is that communication means of the weight with the first aerostabilizer includes a first connecting lever.
Yet another object of the invention is that communication means of said weight with the first aerostabilizer includes a second connecting lever.
Still another object of the invention is that communication means of said weight with the first aerostabilizer includes a first gear.
A related object of the invention is that communication means of said weight with the first aerostabilizer includes a second gear.
Yet still another object of the invention is that said weight be disposed, at least partially, internal to a stanchion and wherein said stanchion is disposed between the first aerostabilizer and an attachment means on the vehicle.
Still another object of the invention is that there be two stanchions disposed between the first aerostabilizer and the vehicle and that there be connecting means between the two stanchions, other than an aerostabilizer, that is disposed, at least in its majority, above stanchion attachment means on the vehicle.
A related object of the invention is that the connecting means between the two stanchions support a brake light.